F. M. Alexander said, “People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”
In the beginning our parents determine our habits, our everyday comings and goings, our small efforts emphasized into the sum of who we become. But as John C. Maxwell puts it, “No one stumbles upon significance. We have to be intentional about making our lives matter.”
No matter what our parents train us to do, one day, we choose if we follow or lead. Whether intentional or unintentional, a choice is made. “Control your own destiny or someone else will,” as Jack Welch said.
I don’t know about you, but I’m weary of letting someone else’s influence well up from my past and govern my future. That is why The Phoenix Project was established. My new habits are already starting to add up to a brand new version of me. I can’t become what I need to become by remaining what I have been up til now. Each day’s renewed set of choices allures me with sweeter, more enticing prospects, unanswered questions and bigger dreams that need a great deal more than small efforts in order to grasp. I am no longer content with a mediocre life. I know that God intended me to do more than just survive each day, and I choose in this moment to honor His intentions.
My DMO continues to evolve from last week’s post, as I add more line items that reflect “bucket list” kind of to-do’s, ways I could more specifically intensify the significance of each minute. For example, a “Family Day” worth of activities as a unit marks a point value of 30, or blog writing, both cathartic and influential, ranks 10 points for each focused half hour. Today’s first full gym workout earned me 17 points based on the current DMO, while its effects transformed my day by elevating my mood and energy level—it’s worth every point it has been assigned!
A friend recently commented that my DMO is an adult’s version of my children’s “smiley face chart,” rewarding good behaviors that affect the outcome of each day. The only difference is that I don’t get a prize on Sunday mornings like they do if they accumulate 15 smiley faces during the previous week. My point values, however, reward me for doing those things which challenge me the most—the ones I never regret doing but only have regretted not doing in the past.
William Borden, heir to the Borden dairy corporation who died before he could join the mission field full time, wrote six final words before his death that complete my thoughts when it comes to this project: “No reserve. No regret. No retreat.” The DMO is not meant to criticize or devalue my daily actions or inactions. I don’t need to wallow in any regret over what is left undone. I simply choose to move on and give each day my all, leaving nothing left in reserve and never retreating from the challenge ahead.
The Art of Choosing True Life 